Behind the Mask

One allowance here buys 16,800 EXP, which places it 3rd of the 6 Lv 20 Carpenter tradecraft leves that record EXP. The best of them, Militia on My Mind, returns 28,010 EXP for the same allowance, 67% more.

Across that rung the return runs from 8,570 EXP to 28,010 EXP per allowance — 6 distinct figures spanning 227%, so the wrong pick leaves 19,440 EXP of the allowance unspent.

On whether to wait: the best Lv 25 Carpenter tradecraft leve returns 47,200 EXP per allowance, 69% more than the best on this rung, while the Lv 15 rung behind tops out at 24,790 EXP.

At Lv 20 this data holds 52 leves paying EXP across 2 categories: the 48 Tradecraft ones average 17,352 EXP per allowance, the 4 Fieldcraft ones 113,304 EXP, which puts this leve 3% below its own category's average.

Gil ranks it differently: 192 gil per allowance is 5th of 6 on the same rung against 3rd on EXP, with the best there paying 295 gil.

Ash Mask (Lapis Lazuli) ×1 is a Lv 20 Carpenter recipe, 2 steps deep through 4 intermediates, costing 7 units of raw material and 6 crystals.

Handing that in returns 2,400 EXP and 27 gil for every unit of raw material the order swallows, and the tree needs Alchemist, Carpenter, Goldsmith and Leatherworker.